This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Applications No. 2000-282381, Sep. 18, 2000, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for attaching a transfer container, which accommodates target substrates, such as semiconductor wafers, to a port of a semiconductor processing apparatus. The term xe2x80x9csemiconductor processxe2x80x9d used herein includes various kinds of processes which are performed to manufacture a semiconductor device or a structure having wiring layers, electrodes, and the like to be connected to a semiconductor device, on a target substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer or an LCD substrate, by forming semiconductor layers, insulating layers, and conductive layers in predetermined patterns on the target substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
In semiconductor manufacturing steps, semiconductor wafers are processed in a clean room with control of dust, which is responsible for defects in semiconductor devices, to improve the yield. In recent years, with an increase in the integration degree of semiconductor devices, and a decrease in the size of circuits, it has become more difficult in technique and cost to realize a clean room for controlling minute particles in practice.
For this reason, it is required to develop techniques of increasing cleanness only in a local space surrounding wafers for transfer and process of the wafers, in place of techniques of increasing cleanness in clean rooms. There is a known transfer system of this kind, which utilizes a transfer container having an interior to be kept clean, and a front face to be opened and closed; (FOUP: Front Opening Unified Pod).
The transfer system is provided with an attaching device for attaching the wafer transfer container to a semiconductor processing apparatus. After the transfer container is attached at a predetermined position by the attaching device, the front face of the transfer container is opened, so that only the wafers in the container are transferred into the semiconductor processing apparatus. For example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2000-16583 (to be referred to as Prior Art 1) discloses an attaching device of this kind. FIG. 18 is a view showing the attaching device disclosed in the Prior Art 1.
The attaching device 100 shown in FIG. 18 is disposed adjacent to the I/O port of a semiconductor processing apparatus 200. A wafer transfer container 1 is placed on the mount portion 101a of a table 101 used in the attaching device 100. The bottom of the container 1 is provided with a recess 3 formed therein and a projecting piece 4 extending forward from the rear end of the recess 3. In FIG. 18, reference symbol 201 denotes a latchkey 201 disposed on the processing apparatus 200, for opening the lid of the container 1.
The table 101 is supported to be movable back and forth by an actuator 131 fixed to a base 130. The table 101 is provided with projections, e.g., four projections 102, for positioning the container 1. When the table 101 moves forward, the projections 102 engage with positioning recesses (not shown) formed on the container 1, which is placed on the mount portion 101a, so that the container 1 is moved in the same direction.
An engaging rod 110 is supported by the base 130 near the table 101, and is movable up and down. The upper end of the engaging rod 110 is provided with an engaging portion 111, which extends backward to engage with the projecting piece 4. A first guide portion 112 formed of a roller is disposed on an intermediate portion of the engaging rod 110 in the longitudinal direction. A coil spring 113 is disposed between the lower end of the engaging rod 110 and the base 130. When the engaging rod 110 moves up, the coil spring 113 is compressed and biases the engaging rod 110 downward.
A second guide portion 103 is disposed under the table 10. When the table 101 moves forward along with the container 1, the second guide portion 103 lifts the first guide portion 112. In other words, when the actuator 131 moves the table 101 forward, the second guide portion 103 comes into contact with the first guide portion 112. Consequently, the first guide portion 112 moves up, and thus the engaging rod 110 moves up as a whole, whereby the engaging portion 111 enters the recess 3.
When the table 101 further moves forward, the engaging portion 111 engages with the upper surface of the projecting piece 4. At this time, the coil spring 113 is compressed against the base 130. Consequently, the engaging rod 110 is biased downward as a whole, whereby the engaging portion 111 is held on the projecting piece 4. As a result, the container 1 is attached to the mount portion 101a. 
As described above, the conventional attaching device 100 moves the table 101 forward to cause the engaging portion 111 of the engaging rod 110 to engage with the projecting piece 4 of the container 1, so that the container 1 is attached to the mount portion 101a. Accordingly, when the positioning projections 102 of the table 101 are not aligned with the corresponding recesses of the container 1, some problems are brought about. Specifically, in this case, an operation error cannot be found until the engaging portion 111 of the engaging rod 110 does not engage with the projecting piece 4 while the table 101 moves forward. Then, the table 101 has to be returned to the initial position, so that the operation of attaching the container 1 to the mount portion 101a is performed again. This reduces the efficiency in transferring wafers.
An object of the present invention is to provide an attaching device, which allows a transfer container to be reliably held on a mount portion by a clamp, without waiting for a table to be moved after the transfer container is placed on the mount portion.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for attaching a transfer container, which accommodates a target substrate, to a port of a semiconductor processing apparatus, the transfer container having on a front side an opening portion to be aligned with the port, and on a bottom side a first engaging portion, the device comprising:
a table having a mount portion on an upper side, on which the transfer container is placed, and an opening portion formed at a position corresponding to the first engaging portion;
a clamp swingably supported on a lower side of the table, and having a second engaging portion, which projects upward from the table through the opening portion to engage with the first engaging portion when the clamp swings; and
a first actuator configured to apply a swing-driving force to the clamp, the first actuator having a reciprocation rod, which pivotally supports the clamp, and swingably supported on the lower side of the table.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for attaching a transfer container, which accommodates a target substrate, to a port of a semiconductor processing apparatus, the transfer container having on a front side an opening portion to be aligned with the port, and on a bottom side a first engaging portion, the device comprising:
a table having a mount portion on an upper side, on which the transfer container is placed, and an opening portion formed at a position corresponding to the first engaging portion;
a link swingably supported on a lower side of the table about a first rotational axis used as a center;
a clamp swingably supported by the link about a second rotational axis used as a center, and having a second engaging portion, which projects upward from the table through the opening portion to engage with the first engaging portion when the clamp swings in a first direction;
a first actuator configured to apply a swing-driving force to the clamp; and
a control structure configured to control swing of the link and the clamp, and set such that, when the first actuator applies a swing-driving force to the clamp in the first direction, the clamp swings relative to the link about the second rotational axis used as a center in a first period until the second engaging portion enters the first engaging portion, and then the link swings along with the clamp relative to the table about the first rotational axis used as a center, thereby moving the clamp downward for the second engaging portion to catch the first engaging portion in a second period following the first period.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.